A Day at the West Clark Bench

Been a while since I posted anything. Thought it was time to get back into the fray.
Just spent 5 days down in Page AZ with a bunch of friends. I've been wanting to get back to an amazing place that I'd been to once before. (Though I've walked by it a few times). This place is the West Clark Bench (Edmair's Secret). Gotta love a place that is as scenic as this, and hardly gets a visitor. A classic breezy fall day, perfect for comfortable hiking, especially all around the crazy slick rock and lacy formations of this place. I led a group of 9 friends, walking in from the Upper Buckskin trailhead. Once we reached the slick rock area it was every man and woman for themselves. "Kids" in the candy shop. We chose a spot to meet up after an hour or two, but we never really got too far out of eyesight.
When you consider how busy all the permitted places are in this area (North and South Coyote Buttes and the non permitted, White Pocket and Wire Pass/Buckskin Gulch) it's really nice to have a place you can wander around without anyone else spoiling the solitude. I know..... I'm probably giving too much info and now it's going to get over run by tourists. But .....I doubt it. Anyway here are some shots from the day of wandering near the Sandhills.

There is so much great colorful sandstone on the Colorado Plateau. It kind of baffles me that people go crazy about White Pocket, and The Wave when you can walk around so many places and find similar lines.

There is so much great colorful sandstone on the Colorado Plateau. It kind of baffles me that people go crazy about White Pocket, and The Wave when you can walk around so many places and find similar lines.

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I love exploring all of the Colorado Plateau and have found some cool things all over, but I have yet to find anything that matches the sandstone in the Coyote Buttes North area. And I'm not just talking about The Wave. The last time I went I never even stopped at The Wave. There's just so many different lines and colors and shapes in such a small area!

I love exploring all of the Colorado Plateau and have found some cool things all over, but I have yet to find anything that matches the sandstone in the Coyote Buttes North area. And I'm not just talking about The Wave. The last time I went I never even stopped at The Wave. There's just so many different lines and colors and shapes in such a small area!

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@Nick said something very similar. Perhaps I'm just trying to convince myself that it's not worth the hassle. The experience I'm generally more concerned with solitude than crazy shades/shapes. I think that I'll have to make it out there sometime though, most likely in December, or January.

The first time I walked by this place on Upper Buckskin, I knew I'd be back to check it out. The area is really large with many more things to see. I just may get back there for a 3rd trip. Does like to get windy here though.